|
Children Act 2004
"A Bill will be introduced to improve the services designed to protect children. A Children's Commissioner for England will be established."
The Children's Bill, published in the wake of the Victoria Climbié inquiry, will reform children's services.
The Bill will establish an independent children's commissioner for England, who will champion the interests of children in Whitehall.
The post of director of children's services will also be created, to be accountable to local authority education and children's social services, as well as a lead council member for children.
Powers will be established to enable information sharing between those services working with children, and local authorities will be required to set up Local Safeguarding Children Boards to encourage children's services to work together and promote children's welfare.
In addition, the Bill will allow for the introduction of a new integrated inspection framework for children's services and appropriate intervention where services are failing.
Lord Laming, chairman of the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié, is expected to act as an informal advisor to the DfES to help implement reforms.
Progress
House of Lords
First reading: March 3 2004 (HL Bill 35)
Second reading: March 30 2004
Committee stage:
Bill as amended in the committee (HL Bill 82)
Report stage:
Bill as reported in the report HL Bill 97
Third reading: July 15 2004
House of Commons:
First reading: July 19 2004 (HC Bill 144)
Second reading: September 13 2004
Committee stage:
Bill as amended in the committee HC Bill 166
Remaining stages: November 2 2004
House of Lords:
Consideration of Commons amendments: November 10 2004
Royal assent: November 15 2004
Children Act 2004
|
